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UNTTED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

ABRAM E. WILLEY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,030, dated March 14,. 1905.

Application filed December 13, 1904. Serial No. 236,697.

To cti/Z whom, t wuz/,y concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAM E. VVILLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at 41 Fortress avenue, Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switches,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in switches and switch-o perating mechanism, the object of the invention being to provide a novel construction and arrangement of operating parts whereby the engineer, driver, or motorman of a locomotive or car may throw the switch in either direction without stopping the car and also tofprovide switch-controlling mechanism which will not be rendered ineffective by the movement of the car-body.

With this and other objects in view the in vention consists of the features of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-'- broken away to show the plungers or throw-- bars. Fig. 4 is a detail View of one of the plungers or throw-bars. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the switch. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal View of the same, taken onthe line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the disk and bars which operate the switchtongue. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents the body of a car, 9 one of the end platforms thereof, and 3 a truck-frame, all of which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction.

The switch point or tongue 4 is arranged at the junction of the main track and siding or branch track-rails 5 and 6 and is pivotally mounted in any suitable manner, so as to be shifted to cause the car to pass from the main track to the branch track or continuously along the main track, as desired. At or near its reduced or free end the switch-tongue is pivoted by a pin or stud 7 toadisk 8, arranged inthe groove or channel at the intersection of the rails. The disk 8 is mounted to oscillate upon a pivot pin or bolt 9, supported by the base of the rail or a suitable foundation, the stud 7 being disposed in rear of the bolt 9, so that when the disk 8 is oscillated in one direction or the other the stud Will operate as a crank to throw the switch-pointvt.

Arranged in the groove or channel of the rail 5 are switch-shifting bars 9 and 10, each bar being provided at one end with an ear or lateral oli'set portion 11, pivoted by a pin or stud 12 to the disk 8, the pivots 12 being disposed on opposite sides of the pivot 9 of the disk, so that when the bars 9 and 10 are engaged and forced toward the disk the latter will be turned or swung on its pivot to transfer motion to the switch-point 4. rFhe free end of the bars 9 and 10 are recessed, as shown at 13, in order that the, switch-throwing devices on the car may positively engage the same and eect the operation thereof. In the arrangement shown the movement of the bar 9 will throw the switch-point to cause the car to travel from the main-track rails to the siding or branch track rails, while a corresponding movement of the bar 10 will shift the switch-point to cause the car to travel past the switch point or tongue along the main-track rails. Rail 5 is provided within its groove or channel with transverse keepers 14, which retain the bars 9 and 10 in place and prevent them from having upward movement.

The switch-operating mechanism on the car, which is operable to throw the switch-shifting bars 9 and 10, comprises two plungers or switch-throwing bars 15 and 16, which are mounted to slide vertically in guide-passages 17, formed in a guide-frame 18, and are beveled or rounded off at their lower ends, as indicated at 18, to engage the recessed portions 13 at the free ends of the switch-shifting bars 9 and 10. Each plunger or switch-throwing bar is provided at its upper end with a forwardly-projecting guideeeye 19, which fits and slides vertically in a slot 20, formed in the forward portion of the guide-frame 18, and re- -ceives the rear-end link ofl an operating-chain 21. The guide-frame 18 is bolted or other- IOO wise suitably secured to a bracket 22, iiXed to the track-frame 3, and provided with an upwardly and forwardly extending portion 23, to which is attached the upper end of a coiled retracting-spring 24, the lower end of which is attached to the upwardly-projecting portion of the said rear-end link 25 of the chain 21. rlhe two springs 24, attached to the guideeyes 19 of the plungers, normally hold the plungers elevated in their guide-passages 17 and restore them after they have been depressed andreleased to their normal position. Each chain 21 extends downwardly from the guide-eye 19 of the cooperating plunger and through a guide-loop 26, attached to the guideframe 18, and thence under adirection-pulley 27, also mounted on said guide-frame, and from said pulley the chain projects forwardly and upwardly and passes over and around a direction-pulley 28, mounted vertically upon the under side of the platform 2, and is attached at its forwardend to a depressible footpiece 29, operating in a guide passage 30, formed in said platform. Each front piece is formed at its upper end with a head 31, whereby it may be conveniently depressed.

In the operation of the switch throwing mechanism the motorman or driver of the car upon approaching the junction or point of intersection of the main and branch tracks projects the desired plunger downward by depressing the foot-piece 29, which forces the forward end of the chain 21 downward in advance of the pulley 28. This action causes the chain to be drawn upwardly and forwardly in advance of the pulley and the rear portion of the chain to move downwardly and around said pulley 27, thereby pulling the guide-eye 19 of the switch-throwing plunger or rod downward against the resistance of the spring 24, so that the lower or operating end 18 of the plunger will be projected down into the groove in the main rail in position to engage the switch-shifting bars 9 and 10,'as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. By thus depressing one or the other of the foot-pieces the motorman may operate either plunger 15 or 16 to shift the switch-point 4 in either direction to open or close the branch track to travel from the main track. W' hen the foot-piece 29 is released by by the motorman, the spring 24 restores the projected plunger to its normal position.

It will be observed that the keepers 14 are formed with rounded upper surfaces, (see Fig. 6,) the object of which is to permit the plungers to ride thereover after operating the switch-shifting bars, thus notifying the motorman by the resulting upward pressure of the foot-piece 29 that the switch has been thrown, so that he may release said foot-piece to allow the plunger to return to its normal position. The rounded or beveled ends 18'permit the plunger to ride over the grooved surface of the keepers 14 without injury, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my invention will be readily understood, and it will be seen that it provides switch mechanism and switch -thro'wing mechanism which are simple of construction and efficient in use and which permits the motorman or driver of the car to conveniently throw the switch in either direction without bringing the car to Va complete stop and without requiring any manual operation of the switch itself. It will also be seen that by mounting the switch-throwing devices on the truckframe of the car the said devices will be unaffected by the movement of the car-body, so that the Switchthrowing bars when projected will always oppositely engage the switch shift or operating bars.

Changes in the form, prop0rtions,and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, isu

1. In switch-operating mechanism, a switchpoint, an oscillating disk eccentrically pivoted to the free end of the switch-point, operatingbars pivoted to said disk on opposite sides of its pivot, switch-operating bars on the car, and means for independently projecting said switch -throwing bars to operate the said switch-operating bars.

2. The combination with 'a car, of a guideframe mounted thereon and provided with guide-passages, switch-throwing bars sliding in said guide-passages, springs for holding the bars in normal position, operating devices, and guided iiexible connections between the operating devices and bars to project the latter against the resistance of their springs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAM E. IVILLEY.

Witnesses:

WALTER E. ORMOND, M. H. LANE, Jr.

IOO 

